The 3086 is a DC to 3 GHz real-time spectrum analyzer that allows the seamless capture of frequency spectra with spans up to 30 MHz (5 MHz - 3066). This allows the spectrum of burst signals, such as those from GSM, IS-136, PDC or partial rate CDMA mobile stations, to be easily captured and examined. Real-time spectrum analyzers take a very different approach compared to traditional sweeping spectrum analyzers. Rather than acquiring one frequency step at a time, the real-time instrument captures a block of frequencies all at once. Because the instrument samples these full frames constantly (rather than waiting for each discrete frequency step to be measured), the signal can come or go as it pleases and the real-time spectrum analyzer will detect the change instantly.